Motorcycling: Doohan's third win: Austrian 500cc Grand Prix

THE Australian, Michael Doohan, claimed his third success of the season by winning the Austrian 500cc Grand Prix race yesterday to increase his World Championship lead.

Doohan led confidently from the start, breaking the lap record he set last year on the 4.243km Salzburgring circuit, and clocked 37min 54.120sec on his Honda ahead of the American, Kevin Schwantz, who finished second in 38:06.730 on a Suzuki.

Doohan now leads the championship by 23 points from the reigning champion, Schwantz, whose fellow American, John Kocinski, fifth on his Cagiva, is third, 32 points behind.

Schwantz, the winner last year, never caught up after after a poor start, battling for second position with Alex Criville, of Spain, and crossed the line just under three seconds ahead of the Spaniard's Honda.

'It was a lot easier than I'd expected,' Doohan said. 'I went all out in the first five laps and got away from the pack. The tyres, frame and engine all worked smoothly.'